All the threats and guilt-tripping by Pakatan leaders need to stop

The main purpose of #undirosak is to elevate the discourse surrounding politics to a different level.

Voting is in fact the weakest form of democratic expression. It can be manipulated, extorted, bribed, and rigged to ensure victory for those with power and capital. And to suggest that voting is the only way you are “legit” as a citizen, is utter bullocks. If politicians should only care about you because you give them votes, then by all means, wreck the goddamn vote because we don’t need those kind of politicians.

Your value as a citizen does not diminish just because you do not vote or spoil your vote. If that were true, millions of people outside the electoral politics have no right to say anything, for example those under 21 years old simply because they are not of voting age.

Pakatan’s attitude towards those who criticise them is why we are starting to see how it is no different from Barisan Nasional – its political culture is as toxic and as paternalistic as BN, often resorting to fearmongering and threats for the smallest criticisms.

Pakatan also does not get to be entitled to free votes just because BN needs to go. Voters in urban Semenanjung areas are not your “fixed deposits” who will just take what you say as gospel. What did you expect when you put Mahathir as PM-candidate? A big hurrah? After all, it was you who were his biggest critics all these years. Suddenly when he needed an opposition coalition, you welcome him with open arms? Way too quickly too. Because he said sorry? So years down the road, if Najib decides to repent and says sorry, are we to allow a known corrupt politician into the ranks as well?

All the threats and guilt-tripping by Pakatan leaders need to stop. No, we are not spoiling our votes because we are irresponsible. We are spoiling our votes because you are not doing a good job. So suck it up and do something about it if you want our votes back.

Go register to vote. And do whatever the heck you want with your vote. You do not have to explain yourself, even if you spoil your vote, because ultimately the ones who need to impress you are the politicians. Politicians have no business chastising you for whatever the heck you decide to do with it. Remember PSM and vote for them, they were duly betrayed and thrown under the bus by Pakatan, and they work for you even if you don’t vote for them. THAT’s a change in the political culture. THAT’s the meaningful way to spend your vote.

Maryam Lee

#undirosak #nofreevotes #pakatanharapan #politikebudayaan #budayapolitik